Lead-pencil.



L. H. SONDHEIM. LEAD PENCIL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3, 1910.

1,125,890. Patented Jan.19, 1915.

"H5 NQPRI: PkTERS C0,. FHOTO-LITHQH WASHINGTON, D. C.

LEWIS H. SONDI-IEIM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LEAD-PENCIL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11.9, 1915.

Application filed December 3, 1910. Serial No. 595,535.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs H. SONDHEIM, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, borough of Manhattan,in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Lead-Pencil, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates to that type of pencil in which an elongated lead has sliding movement in its sheath and is to be fed forwardly, as its point is used up, by a follower; and the object of the invention is to provide a pencil of the general type referred to, but greatly improved as regards the follower.

The improved follower is characterized itself across the bore of the sheath, in response to a lever movement imparted to it, when it is not required to be released to feed the lead forwardly.

Structurally' the follower comprises a member of a size and shape that by being rocked will range across the bore in a jammed position, or range lengthwise of the bore to slide longitudinally thereof. The jamming element bears against interior surfaces presented either by the integral material of the sheath or by a tubular pusher forming a lining and thus constituting part of the wall of the bore adjacent to the follower.

The invention will be particularly described hereinafter, in connection with illustrated examples of its practical embodiment, and then defined as to scope in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in, which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a pencil in which my invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the pencil showing the follower and a pusher which is appurtenant thereto in the prefer-red forms of my invention, the said parts being shown in the locked position; Fig. 3 is a transverse section, enlarged; Fig. 4; is a transverse section showing a modification; Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the follower and pusher of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in unlocked position; Fig. 6 is an enlarged top view of the form of separate pusher employed in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5. Fig. 7

diameter of the bore.

is a similar view of the form of pusher employed in the construction shown in Fig. f; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section showing a further modification; Fig. 9 is a transverse section showing a follower used alone, without the separate pusher; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 9; and Fig. 10 is a transverse section showing a further modification of the follower, which may be employed without a pusher as shown.

The invention in its preferred form com prises a tubular sheath or holder, preferably of wood having a longitudinal bore to receive a lead, a slot reaching into the bore, and a follower member movable longitudinally in the bore and rockable to a jammed position against wall portions in the interior of the sheath. In jamming, the follower may press at one point directly against a wall portion presented by the integral material of the sheath while an opposite point on the follower may bear either directly against a wall portion pre sented by another point of the sheath approximately opposite the first point of hearing, or may bear against a wall portion presented by a pusher, as hereinafter explained.

Referring to the accompanying drawings A is the sheath or holder whose external form is similar to that of an ordinary wooden pencil. It has the longitudinal bore B and a slot C, communicating therewith, which slot is of less width than the The lead 6 moves (with a small amount of friction at its forward end) in the bore B. A tubular pusher D, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, is adapted to move freely in the bore 13 and has the opening cl, narrow at its forward end 651 and widened at one side as at d (see Fig. 6) or widened on both sides as at (Z and d (see Fig. 7

E is the lever follower, preferably in the form of an elbow or bell'crank lever, which extends from the outside of the holder through the slot C. and the opening 01 into the pusher D, and preferably consists of a flat piece of metal, having the long arm E and the short arm E and having the notch 44 by which it may be raised when in the locking position shown in Figs. 1 and The follower lever E has attached to n gainst the lead rest in thenarrow then inserted in "of the sheath, the lever sliding along theslot fromthefpusher D, sheath from so separating while the pusher part or protuberance e to of; the part E of the lever the lower sideor wall of the pusher, pressing longer end of the lever E it or formed upon it, the wider part or protuberance 6 at such side thereofas will correspond when in position to the widened part (Z of the opening (Z, or itInay have-such wider parts (2 and on both sides (as shown in Fig. at) which then will fit into opening (P and ti" (Fig. 7). The greater the total frictional surfaceofthe parts 6 and 6 with which they contact with the wall of the bore, the more security will be had point being accidentally pushed rearward.

' It isobvious that the follower-lever when used without a pusher (as in the modification shown in Figs. 9 and 9") will itself be a. (means to push the lead forward, the principal function of the pusher used in the preferred form being that of steadying the follower-lever when the latter is in an unlockedposition, and of facilitating its forward movement and especially its rearward movement (effected by pressure upon the lead point) by guarding it from being casually tilted into a partially locked position by the direct bearing of the lead upon same during such movement.

- In practice the follower lever E is first inserted in the slot d of the pusher D and rocked to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the forward part of the arm IE will part (Z of the opening d,

and abut against the top' of the pusher at 'thejforward end of said opening, while the parte will abut against the'upper inside surfaceof the pusher, thus limiting a further rocking or forward tilting of said follower-lever when pressure is applied to same .to move the follower forward. The pusher D with the follower lever in this position is the rear end of the bore B C, until the lead rests upon the front end of the pusher'D, It will be understood that thelever E although ordinarily separable is prevented by the is in the bore B.- The protruding arm of the lever E is then pulled backward and downward into the position shown in Fig. 2. This will cause the rounded top of the thick project slightly to press against of bore B, while part 6 and the end will press against through the opening (Z and the upper side of the wall the bottom part of said said pusher against the wall of the bore B atthe bottom and binding both lever and pusher immovable in said bore, while the enters the slot C and -only the upper edge of the same with the -notch eremainsvisible. To move the lead forward the arm-E of the lever is raised inserting the finger nail in the notch e to rock said lever until said lever arm E the lead pushed back from "InFig. 8 I

abuts against thewall at theforward end of the opening d when'it and the lead niay be easilypushed forward and then secured by pulling 'the leve i down. WVhen it is desired to retract the lead, the lever is raised and the front of the pencil, carrying the follower backward with it: I

The -long arm of the lever on the outside of the sheath gives sufficient power to produce the needed jam;

tion-to advance the lead, to overcome any temporary obstruction which may exist in the bore; while said lever is almost completely hidden in the sheath while at rest.

v show the pusher D with an opening (Z on its lower side, thus allowing the lower portion ofthe arm E of the follower, and the lower portion of the widened partei, which in this construction are both slightly elongated, to project through the tubular pusher D and thus establish a direct bearing (upon two' opposite sides of the wall of bore B) of-the said lower portions of E and e on the one side, and the upper part of the portion e on the other side. a

In Fig. '9 I, show a follower lever E with a thicker part e (corresponding with e previously described) interlocked in a wooden sheath without the use ofa separate, appurtenant pusher. Whenthe lever in this construction is raised the .partE will itself serve to directly push the lead. In Fig. 10 I show a modification of the follower lever. In place of the part 6* which extends almost thelength' of the part E of the lever, a rounded projectione, is produced (preferably by stamping) on the lever part'E which will take the place of the upper rounded end of the part 6 in pressing against one side of the sheath, while the end of the part E will press againstthe other sideor wall.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, "and 5, and that shown in Fig. l, the lower end of the follower when worked, engages Jthe pusher D, which in these instances forms a lining for the sheath and becomes the wall of the sheath, as it then is held immovable "relatively to the sheath and transfers thereto the received pressure of the follower, and'therefore structurally as well as functionally it is in effect the wall of the sheath as far as the action of the lower end of the-follower is concerned when binding or jamming transversely'of the bore. a In some forms ofthe in'ventionthe inner portion of the lead advancing device, through which the jamming and consequent locking of saidgdevice is effected, consists of it also gives a sufii .cienthold to the fingers, when it is in posia single member only, while in other forms invention, 1

tion is located within the bore and is wider than the slot, and having an arm, adapted to be rocked, extending through the slot to the outside of the casing, the inner part of said device being movable longitudinally within the bore, but being adapted to be locked against longitudinal movement by being jammed between approximately opposite portions of the walls of said bore by the rocking of the outer arm, substantially as described.

2. A pencil comprising a sheath having a bore accommodating a lead and a longitudinal slot extending from the here to the outside, a rockable follower having a member in said bore and a separate pusher slidable in said bore, the said follower engaging the pusher and forming when rocked a lever lock for said pusher.

3. A pencil comprising a sheath having a bore accommodating a lead and a slot extending from the bore to the outside. a rockable follower in the form of a bell-crank lever, of which one member extends to the outside and one member lies within the sheath, and a separate tubular pusher lying within the bore of said sheath engaged by the follower, and locked by the said follower when the latter is rocked, to cause the inner member to range crosswise.

l. A pencil in which is comprised a sheath having a longitudinal bore and a longitudinal slot communicating with the bore and extending to the outside, a lead in said bore. a follower having a member within said bore, part of said follower extending to the outside, and a separate tubular pusher in said bore, the said follower being received in said pusher intermediate between the ends of the pusher, and being rockable to cause said inner member of the follower to range longitudinally of the bore or to range transversely in said bore in a jammed position.

A pencil comprising a sheath having a bore to accommodate a lead, and a longitudinal slot extending from the here to the outside, a rockable follower having an arm, extending through said slot, and a part within the bore, said inner part having an integral lateral extension wherewith to frictionally engage the wall of the bore, the lateral extension being of greater length than Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the width and being longitudinally movable in said bore when ranging lengthwise therein, but being adapted to be rocked to range crosswise of said bore in a jammed position to prevent the rearward movement of the lead, the laterally extended part of the follower having a direct frictional contact with the wall of the bore in such jammed position.

6. A pencil comprising a sheath, having a bore accommodating a lead, and a longitudinal slot extending from the bore to the outside, a rockable follower having an arm extending through said slot and a part located within said bore, said inner part having a lateral extension, immovable thereon, whereby to present a total width greater than the slot, and wherewith to frictionally engage the wall of the bore, and an auxiliary pusher slidable in said bore, the said follower engaging the pusher and forming when rocked to a jammed position crosswise of said bore a retaining means for said pusher and lead.

7. A pencil comprising a sheath, having a bore accommodating a lead, and a longitudinal slot extending from the bore to the outside, a rockable follower having an arm extending through said slot, and a part within the bore, said inner part being laterally extended to project beyond the adjacent side wall of the slot, the lateral extension. being of greater length than width and being longitudinally movable in said bore when ranging lengthwise therein, but being adapted to be rocked to range crosswise in said bore in a jammed position, the laterally extended part of the follower having a direct frictional contact with the wall of the bore in such jammed position, and an auxiliary pusher having an opening intermediate its ends, through which the l.ater ally extended part of the follower enters the pusher to stand upright therein in the mentioned jammed position, but to lie within the pusher and be enveloped by same when the outer arm of the follower has been rocked to a perpendicular position, said pusher and opening serving to steady the follower and to limit the rocking movement of same while it is being moved forward to advance the lead, the said pusher communicating the forward movement as also the retaining action of the follower to the lead, and the rearward movement of the lead to the follower.

LEWIS H. SONDHEITS'I.

lVitnesses Max ROSENTHAL, C. J. S. lVnLLuxKAMr.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I C.

It is herehy certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,125,890, granted January 19, 1915, upon the application of Lewis H. Sondheim, of New York, N. Y., for an improvement in Lead-Pencils, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 17, after the Word characterized insert the words functionally by a capability of jamming; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of February, A. D. 1915.

[SEAL] J. 'r. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner 0] Patents. 

